Young Adults and Suicide
September 10th is National Suicide Awareness and World Suicide Prevention Day. I write for young adults and want to talk about about some surprising and very sobering statistics concerning them from the US Center for Disease Control.
For young people aged 15-24:
SUICIDE is the third leading cause of death in the US, accounting for 20% of all deaths. Over 5000 young people killed themselves in 2010.
For each completed suicide, there are another 100-200 ATTEMPTS. Roughly 157,000 youth are brought to Emergency Rooms each year with self inflicted injuries.
High school and college students are contemplating suicide at a much higher rate than people over 30.
From a survey in 2011 of a nationally-representative sample of high school students, the US Center for Disease Control reports:
-Almost 16% of these students reported that they had seriously considered attempting suicide during the previous year.
-Almost 13% of students reported that they made a plan about how they would attempt suicide.
-8% of students reported that they HAD attempted suicide one or more times
- 2.4% of students reported that they had made a suicide attempt that resulted in an injury, poisoning, or an overdose that required medical attention.
LGBT youth face significantly higher risk for both depression and suicide, with one study reporting that almost one in three, or 30% attempted suicide over their lifetimes.
DEPRESSION is the single biggest risk factor for suicide. It’s highly treatable.
SUBSTANCE ABUSE is another. Almost 75% of those who died by suicide tested positive for alcohol, illegal or prescription drugs.
So many young people are desperate to know that the despair and pain they are suffering can get better.
Suicide can be prevented with education and public awareness.
Please. Let’s Talk About It.
If you or someone you know would like to talk to someone right now about feeling suicidal please call:
1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)
or 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433)
The people at these hotlines have been gently, confidentially, and constructively talking to the depressed and suicidal, and saving lives, for a long time. There are lots of good web sites out there. You can text, Skype, and chat.
P.S. Please feel free to use or reprint part or all of anything I’ve written here on suicide. Acknowledgment is appreciated.